The Today Show – Thursday March 22nd

On Thursday’s edition of The Today Show Gavin Grace spoke to Aine Carroll of the National Consumer Agency. The NCA has today criticised AIB’s new criteria for free maintenance and transactions on their current accounts, describing the requirement from 28 May 2012 to maintain a credit balance of €2,500 in their current account to qualify for free banking as overly restrictive and disappointing. The charges include: 20c for every debit card transaction; 30c for every paper and staff-assisted transaction including cheques, counter withdrawals and lodgements, and staff-assisted transactions at any AIB branch or in the post office; 30c for withdrawing cash at the counter; 20c for every cash withdrawal from ATM’s with AIB bank link cards and AIB debit cards. AIB will also be adding a €4.50 per financial quarter, or €18 a year charge on top of transaction fees. Michael O’Neill, a pensioner in Doonbeg contacted the show and spoke to Gavin about his reaction to the new fees and how they will affect him.

On today’s show we also heard another episode of “Through the Ages”, which features the school children of Clare.  Today’s pupils from across the county bring to life memoirs and folklore collected by students 75 years ago as part of an oral history project set in motion by what was then the Folklore Commission in 1937. Children in national schools all over Ireland were asked to gather as much of their local folklore as possible from their elderly family members and neighbours and to write it all down just as they heard it. The essays that resulted from this project form a unique record of the customs, beliefs, stories and songs of that time. They include tales, traditions, old cures, riddles and jokes – and are reanimated by today’s pupils from across Co. Clare. Today we hear from the students of Lahinch National School.

Alan Sparling, Vice Chairman of the Clare Drama Festival joined The Today Show to talk about the 65th year of the festival which takes place from today to the 31st of March in Scariff Community College Hall. The festival begins with the official opening by Pat Hayes, Mayor of Clare, followed by Sliabh Aughty Group in “Thy Will be Done” by Michael Carey. Doors open 7.45pm, Curtain nightly 8.30pm: Doors open final night 7.15pm, Curtain final night 8pm.

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Padraic Murphy of the Clare Sunset Foundation joined Gavin in studio to discuss this weekend’s major cycle event. Vision Challenges brings Stephen Roche and the Atlantic Challenge to Clare this Sunday March 25th – The 80 kilometre cycle will start and finish in Lahinch, taking in a route of the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, Black Head, Ballyvaughan, Corkscrew Hill, Lisdoonvarna and Ennistymon. All proceeds raised go to support visually impaired and blind people of Co. Clare. (See the following link for details on registration etc http://www.visionchallenges.com/index.htm). While Roisin Garvey, Green Schools Co-ordinator for Clare also joined the show to talk about how Green Schools are also hosting a free fun 5 mile cycle this Sunday in conjunction with the Atlantic Challenge.  The fun cycle commences at 10am from Main Street, Lahinch with cycling legend Stephen Roche leading them off. All ages and abilities are welcome.

Today’s weekly cinema review with Stephen McDermott featured an interview with legendary film critic and broadcaster Barry Norman. Mr. Norman discussed movies and his great love of the medium with Stephen ahead of his appearance at Glor in Ennis on Thursday April 5th.

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